Dario Costa Achieves Aviation First with Train Landing and Take-off

On February 15, 2026, Red Bull athlete Dario Costa achieved a milestone in aviation history by landing an aircraft on a moving train in Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye. Piloting a Zivko Edge 540, Costa completed the daring maneuver by landing on a cargo train traveling at 120 km/h and then performing a vertical pull take-off, all within 50 seconds along a 2.5 km railway stretch.

The approach required Costa to reduce his aircraft's speed to 87 km/h to match the train's. He landed on the ninth cargo container, performing a blind final approach due to turbulence and limited visibility caused by the train's movement. The Zivko Edge 540 used was slightly modified for low-speed flight, incorporating custom strakes and vortex generators.

This accomplishment establishes a new benchmark in precision aviation and aerodynamics, showcasing Red Bull's commitment to pushing boundaries in sports engineering.